robinson



13A P. ROBINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAST-IRON PAYMENT.

Specicaton of Lettera Patent No. 14,738, dated April 22, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ASA P. Roamsox, of thc city. count-y, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Application of Cast-Iron to 16 drawings as a part of this specification, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan showing several of the cast. iron pavement blocks in place in connection with a rail. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of one of the cast iron pavement blocks on the line C. D. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line A, B. exhibiting the blocks and rail in connection and also the key for locking the blocks and rails together. and Fig. 4 is a pera` tive view of the key. The scale of the rawings is one half the full size.

I make the drical forni with six tangential flat surfaces at ual distances apart, raised upon its circum erence as shown in Fig. 1. letter J. The upper end of the cylinder is closed and forms the surface of the pavement. I make the cylinders about four inches in depth but they may be longer or shorter as may be deemed expedient. I also make them about twelve inches in diameter but do not confine myself to this particular size.

-T he blocks being of uniform size any one is entirely surrounded by six others all be` ing laterally in contact- The sides of contact are the tangential flat surfaces raised as before mentioned on the surface or circumference of the c linder.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will bc sccn that around each block are left six triangular shaped interstices with the curved portions of the cylinders forming their sides, letter I. These curved portions may however be Battened making the blocks twelve sided. In each of these intcrstices after the blocks are laid in place I insert a key of the form shown in Fig. 4. These keys are c lindrical at the' upper end, being forme with a square or triangular arbor or hole for the reception of a wrench. The lower end of the key is of a three armed section or it may be cylindrical also. On the sides of the key are formed and cast three proiecting lugs at a convenient distance be` ow its upper end, these lugs being of the avement block of a cylinform necessary to fit the interstices I. The key being inserted and the wrench applied, a turn of one sixth of a circle forces the lugs into recesses cast in the sides of the blocks for their rece tion as shown in the plan and sections, etter E. Thus each lock is sustained vertically andf rigid by the six surrounding it. This operation may be reversed by casting the blocks with the top surface projecting out slightly from the circumference of the cylinder (I adopt a pro)ection of three quarters of an inch as being suicient), letter A, Fig. l, amended drawin, retaining the same arrangement of six at sides of contact, without forming an entire sexagon but leaving the sinne interstices for the keys, and in this case I cast the key with a boss on the top large enough to cover the whole interst-ice letter B. Figs. 1. 2. 3. amended drawings. and I dispense with the lugs on the key as well :is the receses in the sides of the blocks. the three arms on the lower portion of the key. letter C, Figs. 1 and 2. amended drawings. being widened so that when turned by the wrench they pas under the projecting portion A of the top surface of the blocks. The blocks by means of these projecting surfaces are thus confined between the bosses on the top of the key and the arms of the key, below.

In the Terrv pavement recently laid in the cities of vNew York and Boston the blocks depend for support upon each other by means of three lugs cast upon the upper end. projecting upon three contiguous blocks which in their turn have similar lugs. The stability of any one block depends merely upon the small amount of bearing given to it by the thin ed of the cylinders and partitions and u n at: assistance given tu it by three of t ose that surround it. In order to take up any one block for the purposes of repair of any kind or for the purposes of laying pies. it becouies necessary. in order to unloc it, to turn the three blocks surrounding it, so that it may be relieved from these overlying lugs. Although it is claimed that. by this process any one block may be unlocked, yet it is theoretically impossible (as they are constructed) and in practice it is found that they can only be raised by commencing at the curbstone of the street and takin up such a number of blocks along the line o the curb stone, as will form the base line of a triangle, the apex of which is the block it is desired to raise. Practically, any one block can only be raised in this way, or by moving a great number laterally, so as to obtain-space enough around the lock to raised, as to relieve it from the lugs. It 1s evident that if there be space enough between the blocks to ermit of this lateral movement. no bene t would be derived from arching the pavement, but all must depend for stability, upon the small amount of bearing surface furnished by the thin edges. Even if laid in contact, they touch each other only at mere points near the top, and the bearing surface being suicient to prevent movement, these points of contact are worn o6 in a short time, so as to destroy any posibility of benefit from the arch.

By the form I adopt long surfaces are brought in contact between any two blocks and as each block has six fiat sides, when once laid in place the action of horses or vehicles cannot move them; they are readily unlocked and removed by turning the keys; the benefits derivable from arching the pavement are made available; and instead of their stability being dependent upon merely the bearing ofthe sharp edges of the cylinders. the whole area of the block is used. The surface resents a perfect foot hold for horses while for the passing of;

vehicles it is substantiallv smooth: it is free from dust and mud an easily swept and cleaned.

The blocks may be filled with concrete, mortar. or other suitable material giving additional support to the top surface.

The rail is formed with the usual roove for the rece tion of the fian of t e car wheels and is of the section s own in Fig. 3, letter (i. It mav be cast of any required len h. On each side of the rail are formed rabbets K at the same depth below the top surface or tread as the recesses in the sides of the blocks. The blocks laid next to the rails, are cast with a segment cut ofi' to the line of two keys, as shown in Fig. 1, letter H. The rabbets in the sides of the rails, receive the lugs on the keys and the rails are thus confined to the blocks in the same manner as the blocks are confined to each other. The under side of the rail is made hollow, and the sides extend to the same depth as the blocks. This hollow space may have cross iartitions at proper intervals to strengt en the rail and may be filled with concrete. When the pavement blocks are cast with the top surface projectn and the operation of keving is reversed, as escribed, I make the rails with a flange on each side (letter D, Figs. 3 and 5, amended drawings) or with a series of ro'ectin lu at ro r intervals to suit thepdirlnensigns ogfs, the bloclls, instead of making them with rabbets. The key shown in ig. 2, amended drawings, and at letter B, Fig. 3, confines the rails to the blocks m the same manner as it confines the blocks together. The whole being thus confined an locked together, no timber substructure 1s necessary, but the rail becomes a pa rt of the pavement itself, and in case a rail 1s mjured or broken, no spikes are to be drawn but 1t may be taken out, and a new one substltuted by simply turning the kevs which confine it.

The ordinary street railway in use in ordinary pavements requires an expensive wooden substructure which is constantly decaying and needing renewal, and there being no bond between the rail and pavement, constant repairs are needed to keep both on the same level. Either the rail settles below the pavement or the pavement below the rail, oering serious obstructions to the passing of ordinary vehicles. My combination avoids these diiculties, and presents a rail way always upon the same level as the pavement.

Havin described the form of my pavement ant railway and the mode of laying them and locking them in place and set forth their advantages over the ordinary forms in use. I declare that I do not claim the application of cast iron to the purposes of a street pavement or a street rail wav, neither do I claim pavement blocks of`a cylindrical form or with any particular form of surface` but 'hat I do claim is- 1. The cylindrical form with the tangential flat surfaces raised upon its circumference. as described for contact between the blocks.

2. I also claim the peculiar manner as described of keying the blocks together and of keying the blocks to the rails. to prevent vertical motion and to admit. of any one block or rail or any number of blocks or rails being moved, without disturbing others not required to be moved by means of the trian lar formed spaces 1 the rabbets F and t e keys Fig. 4 or bv means of the projecting surfaces of the blocks A, Fig. 1, and the flanges or lugs on the rails D, Figs. 3 and 5, and the key, Fig. 2 of the amended drawings or any similar e uivalent arrangement as substantially set orth in the specificaton and drawings.

A. P. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

F. RC. Klmlznoa, Tl-toatas NrcHoLs. 

